Stevens: Sports and politics = Obama

It seems like I have to. It's the way that my profession is "trending," as they say in social media circles.

I'm not talking about your kid getting a raw deal and not getting picked for the local All-Star team because of "politics" among the coaches and dads.

I'm going straight to the top ---- to the White House.

It used to be, back in the day roughly 3-plus years ago, that the only time we'd see sports teams and the President of the United States being friendly was at the White House to honor a championship team.

The Super Bowl champs. Stanley Cup champs. NBA champs. They all had a chance to meet the president.

Today?

We seem to be getting a weekly dose of the president and sports. He should have his own sports channel.

I just clicked on NFL.com, and one of the top stories of the day was President Obama's thoughts on the New York Jets' controversy that's brewing between Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow.

OK, now we can all sleep well tonight. The president of the United States has weighed in on the Jets' QB situation. Our economy should be booming by Friday.

Jets' coach Rex Ryan, to his credit, deflected the president's comments in a professional manner, which means that he did not say, "Hey, I'll coach football. Why don't you try to lower that unemployment rate!!"

Ryan's actual words were: "This is the president of the greatest country there is, and he's talking about the New York Jets' football team and things. I'll say this: I respect President Obama and I respect the fact that this is his opinion."

Ryan was replying in response to Obama telling an Ohio radio station about the Jets' QB situation: "I gotta tell you, I don't like the idea of a quarterback controversy at the start of a season. So if I was a Jets fan, I'd be pretty nervous."

But there's more. It's not just Jets' football or the NFL.

Obama, it seems, is getting more air time on sports than Bob Costas.

Obama has recently expressed thoughts on the Penn State sanctions, Chicago baseball teams, Kevin Youkilis being traded from the Red Sox to the White Sox, and Jeremy Lin leaving the New York Knicks and signing with the Houston Rockets.

Since he's been in office, each year he does a men's basketball Final Four bracket with ESPN, and explains why he's picking the teams that he's picking.

Why, just a few days ago, Press Secretary Jay Carney was asked why Obama was photographed holding a baseball bat while talking on the phone in the White House. Carney replied: "He's a baseball fan. What can I tell you. As I think he said, White Sox (baseball) but also watching the remarkable Washington Nationals."

And during that interview with Ohio radio station WBNS-FM, Obama offered his views on Ohio State football. "The thing about Ohio State football, the legacy of that program, a couple years without a bowl is not going to crush the team," Obama said. "You'll still be able to get great recruits."

It should be noted that no questions about politics were asked, and that was by design, according to the hosts.

The truth of the matter is that most of us probably know more about Obama's sports life (he loves to play golf and basketball), his favorite baseball team (the White Sox) and NFL team (the Chicago Bears), than we know about his plans for an economic recovery.

And, to be blunt about it, I find that pretty darn sad.

Chris Stevens is sports editor of the Daily News. Email him at stevens@mdn.net